


May Tell You to Run

by BossToaster (ChaoticReactions)



Series: Message From the Veins (Rare Pair Week) [6]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Cool!, F/F, I'm NOT the first to use that pairing tag!, Injury Recovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-17
Updated: 2017-02-17
Packaged: 2018-09-25 05:31:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9804644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaoticReactions/pseuds/BossToaster
Summary: Nyma, Rolo and Beezer crash on a planet.Or, to be more precise, they crash on a Balmera.





	

The first time Nyma woke up, it was only for a moment.

She had the vague impression of Rolo’s voice, sharp and loud and layered.  Echoed?  He sounded upset.  Nyma wasn’t used to that and didn’t like it.  When Rolo was upset, things were going wrong.

She couldn’t remember what, though.  At least, not what had gone wrong  _ recently. _  Everything was off since they’d tried to steal a Voltron lion.  Their luck had gone bad, and if Nyma were at all inclined to believe in superstitious nonsense, she would have called it retribution.

Luckily, she didn’t, so it wasn’t.  It  _ wasn’t. _

They’d kept an ear to the ground of the stories, after that, mostly to avoid them.  And each one was stranger than the last.  Voltron freed a Balmera as Nyma, Rolo and Beezer were finally rescued, hit directly at Zarkon’s ship as the trio stole themselves new transport.  The paladins kept going: they broke into jail and released the prisoners, freed powerful planets almost every other week.  

And the latest rumors - that Zarkon had fallen, and some prince of his was taking over - were too wild to be believed.

“It’s nonsense,” Nyma had told Rolo, frowning as she worked on replacing old wiring in Beezer.  “People are making up any story they think will catch on for some coin.  Don’t be gullible.”

Rolo had just smiled and shrugged, unbothered as ever.  It was why he was a good partner.  Nothing got to him.  Nothing except  _ Voltron. _  ‘I hope they do it’.  Please.  “I dunno, considering what else they’ve pulled.  You thought those were false too.”

“This is different,” Nyma snapped back.  “This is a story.”

“So’s Voltron.”

Beezer had beeped sharply at that, a laugh that signaled Nyma had lost this round.

She’d slammed Beezers panels down harder than necessary at that.

But with Voltron so far away, they’d felt comfortable returning to their old haunts and contacts, trying to reestablish themselves to anyone with decent coin.  Until...

Until...

Oh, trying to think  _ hurt. _

“She will be needing her rest,” someone said, their voice low and rough.  Downright elderly.  “Please leave this room and return to yours.  We will let you know if you are needed.”

Rolo let out a huffy noise, and Nyma tried to frown.  Frowning hurt.  She hadn’t heard Rolo make a noise like that in years.  He was angry.  Or worse, he was worried.  Worried enough to show it.

What had happened?

Before Nyma could figure it out, her concentration lapsed, and she fell  _ down. _

***

The second time Nyma woke up, she was coherent.  But Mother of All did she  _ hurt _ .

She cursed to herself, low and vehement, curling in as she instinctively tried to protect herself from whoever was  _ clearly _ trying to kill her.

“Oh, no!” Someone said.  Huge, heavy hands rested on Nyma’s chest, surprisingly gentle despite the rough texture of them.  “Be still!  You must!  If not, you will hurt yourself worse.”

Nyma still struggled for a moment, then gave up.  She’d never been great at pain tolerance anyway.  “What- who-?”

“You landed on our Balmera,” the voice said.  Nyma’s eyes snapped to the hands, and then tracked up the huge forearms to the flat, green-grey face attached.  “Perhaps it would be better to say that you crashed.”

They crashed?  What kind of amateur hour were they-

Oh.  Oh  _ no. _  Nyma had insisted on going with the cheaper replacement options for their engine.  They needed to eat too, after all.  Rolo had fought it, but eventually gave.  And so had the engine.

Well, that was exactly what they needed.

Wait.  Rolo.  Beezer.  Where-

Nyma tried to sit up, but the heavy hands pinned her just as effectively as bands.  “You are to stop that right now!”

“Shut up,” Nyma growled back, but then paused.  “No, nevermind, not shut up.  Tell me. My crew.  Where..?”

The green alien (a Balmera, they’d said.  This was a Balmerian?  Nyma had never met one) frowned, then nodded.  “Your Rolo is outside.  He was working on your other companion.  They are not well, but they are both doing better than you.”

Wow.  Blunt.

Well, Nyma could respect that, at least.  She liked blunt.  She rarely got to use it.

Content to take the Balmerian at their word for now, Nyma nodded and settled back.  “Okay.”  She wasn’t crewless.  Maybe their ship had crashed, but they were together.  They’d gotten through worse as long as they stuck together.

The Bamerian stared for a while, expression stern.  Or trying.  Stern didn’t seem to fit this being, not really.  Stubborn, maybe, or even disapproving.  The look didn’t have that cold sting it needed.  “You will rest, then?  You must.”

“I will rest,” Nyma repeated back, a touch of sarcasm.  “Yeah, yeah, fine.  Whoever you are, anyway.”

That made the Balmerian smile.  “I am Shay,” they introduced.  “My grandmother was the one to begin helping.  No one is sure what to do.  We have not had outsiders for many generations, aside from Voltron.”

Voltron.  Right.   _ Right. _  They were in their old sector.  If this was a Balmera, it was  _ the _ Balmera.  The free one.

Well, one less thing to worry about it.  Admittedly, Nyma hadn’t even started to worry.  If they were in Galra hands, she wouldn’t be alive right now, simple as that.  Not with the kicked  _ flymver _ hive they’d become the last few months.

“Nyma,” she returned, and offered a smile.  It wasn’t the charming one she prefered, not when she felt like her gut was trying to tear its way out of her to freedom.  But it was better than nothing.

The hands on her fluttered, just for a moment.  Nyma was impressed by how dexterous Shay seemed to be with them.  Hands that big and triangular were usually bulky, like those that used them.  But while Shay was large, they weren’t like that.

“Rest now, Nyma,” Shay told her, voice soft.  “You will feel better when you do.”

Probably not.  But it was a nice thought, anyway, so Nyma did.

***

The next few times Nyma woke were a blur.  She still slept often and for long periods of time, apparently by design - the Grandmother kept telling her about all the disgusting things they were healing her with, which didn’t help make her feel better - but each time she woke she felt a little better.

Not enough to move, unfortunately.

Nyma was bad at dealing with that.

“We can’t go anywhere anyway,” Rolo said flatly.  “The repairs are going.. Let’s say slowly.  They’d be at a complete standstill if there wasn’t so much Galra junk around.  Pity we didn’t try for a Galra ship this time, or else we’d be doing a lot better.”

Scowling, Nyma shook her head.  “You want to steal an entire ship from the Galra while they’re this high strung?  Good luck, tell me how that goes.”

“Aww, partner, don’t be like that.”  Rolo grinned, back to easy and calm, and that helped more than the medicine.  If Rolo was calm again, things were okay.  They were together.  Nyma let her hands rest on Beezer’s casing, tapping quietly, a little reminder that her bot was here.

Still, Nyma groaned in playful annoyance, because it wasn’t like she was going to  _ say _ any of that soft nonsense.  No way.  “Can’t you at least bring me up anyway?  I’m dying down here.  I can’t keep looking at rocks, Rolo, or else I’m going to start throwing them.”

“You are not well enough to throw a rock hard enough to hurt us,” Shay commented flatly, as she walked in.  Her lips were turned down, and her blunt little tail drooped as she walked passed.

Really, the tail was cute, but it was such a distraction.  When Nyma was looking, it was for Shay’s ass, but the tail always showed Shay’s emotions and drew Nyma’s attention away.  What a pain.

“Sounds like something to work up to,” Nyma replied flatly.

Shay frowned but sighed.  “You are joking, but it is not a funny joke.”

“Says you.”

Rolo chuckled and flicked one of Nyma’s head strands, making it sway.  “Be nice, she’s helping you.”

Crinkling her nose, Nyma tilted her head.  “Ni-ice?” She drawled, sounding out the word.

“You are nice, when you are not making mean jokes,” Shay said, wandering over and sitting down next to Rolo.  “Like when you talked to me about your adventures.  I liked your stories very much.  I like to learn about the world beyond the sky.”

Rolo’s gaze settled on Nyma, his smile growing.  “Oh, you were telling stories?  What kind?”

“Ones that don’t involve crashes,” Nyma shot back, glaring.  He better not say a  _ word. _  So Nyma was enjoying enthralling a cute girl with a couple of carefully edited stories.  Who didn’t like that kind of appreciative audience?

“I like those kinds best,” Shay replied, but there was a teasing curl to her mouth.  “Are you in very much pain?”

Nyma considered, shifting.  “Not bad.  I’m sitting.”  She raised her arms, as if to say ‘see?’  Shay nodded appreciatively.  “I was hoping I could spend just a few teeny moments on the surface.  Just to get some fresh air.”

Frowning, Shay tilted her head.  “How would you get up there?”

Right.  Damn.  The Balmerians could get around with a quick thought and touch, but they still didn’t have any kind of working technology for getting in and out.  The Galra had mostly used their ships, which were near all scrap across the planet, now.  “We’ll think of something.  Rolo will carry me.”

“Rolo will not carry anyone,” he replied flatly.  “Rolo’s back is still nothing but bruises and he’s not fond of carrying you on a good day anyway.”

Nyma frowned.  “Disloyalty.”

“Everyday, Sweetheart.”

They shared a grin.

Shay looked between them.  “If you are in need of time alone, I can provide this,” she said carefully, seeming to droop again.

Damn, how could this giant rock girl manage to look like such a kicked baby yupper?

“No, no need,” Nyma replied.  “Don’t mind him, he thinks flirting is how to talk.”

“That’s very interesting, coming from you.”

Nyma rolled her eyes.  “The difference is that I know how to turn it back off,” she shot back.

In response, Rolo only grinned and glanced at Shay.

Ugh.  Ughhh.  Nyma hated it when he did that.

Shay seemed to consider them again, then she nodded.  “If you wish to go, I would carry you.  If that is not a problem.”

Freezing, Nyma stared.  

Rolo’s grin widened.

Okay, on one hand, Nyma did not need to be flustered about being picked up by a cute alien girl.  On the other hand, how often did she get to be picked off and carted away but a cute alien girl?  And then there was seeing  _ sky. _  Nyma missed sky.  She missed sky like there was no air without it.

“I’m down for that, if it’s okay,” she finally responded, as casual as she could manage.  Her head strands curled in slightly, and Nyma would be mortified if Shay knew what it meant.

But she didn’t, and instead Shay smiled and slid those huge, flat hands under Nyma’s hips and torso, heaving her up as gently as if she were glass.

Nyma wasn’t, but it was nice anyway.

The trip took very little time, surprisingly, and the Balmerians had at least taken the time to add ramps around what used to be all ladders (workplace safety wasn’t something the Galra believed in, apparently, which was just wasteful).

And then there were glittering fields in sunset, and the huge expanse of pale, warm colors.

Nyma took a deep breath.  She finally had air.

“I understand,” Shay told her, so quiet that Nyma almost didn’t hear it, despite the fact that she was still held in Shay’s arms.  “I too grow tired of the rock walls.  It is home, and the Balmera and my family are dear to my heart, but sometimes I wish to see beyond them.  There is a  _ universe _ out there, Hunk said, and so many people and places and sights.  Ones like you.”

For once, Nyma didn’t have a snappy comeback or a sly line.  Instead she just nodded, resting her head on Shay’s shoulder.  “There is.  Not all of it is good, but I think it’s worth seeing anyway.  You should go.”

“There is much for me to do here,” Shay replied, but it was quiet.  She looked past Nyma to the ground, frowning.

Nyma snorted.  “Yeah, there’s always something.  Some task or someone or any of that.  If you try and wait till there’s nothing left, you’ll either be too old or dead.  Sometimes you just gotta jump.”

At first, Shay didn’t say anything, and Nyma thought she’d officially closed off. But then she nodded.  “Jump.  I should jump.”  But then she frowned.  “There are so many problems.  Where will I go?  How will I get there?”

“That’s up to you,” Nyma replied.  “I can’t tell you where to go.  I don’t want to.  I can only go where I’m going.”

That didn’t seem to satisfy Shay.

It didn’t satisfy Nyma either.

***

“You are making things very difficult.”

Nyma glanced over at the new Balmerian, her head tilted.  She was at least standing, now, which was good: this one was far and away the most aggressive Balmerian she’d met so far.  And she said that after hearing him say one sentence and scowl.

Balmerians really weren’t an angry bunch.  Stubborn, sure, but not like this.

“That’s fine, I don’t like making things easy,” Nyma replied, going back to her stretches.  “That all?”

The Bamerian stepped forward, their meaty hand jabbing in Nyma’s direction.  She resisted the urge to smack it.  “You are making things difficult for  _ Shay, _ and I will not allow it.”

Wait, what now?

Oh, this must be Rax.  What a charmer.

Finally, Nyma faced him head on, her own arms crossing.  “Ooh, allowing it, huh?  What are you even on about?”

“You are making her miserable!” Rax snapped, voice half-strangled.  “And you do not even care.  She does not want to eat, she does not want to sleep.  She wants to  _ leave, _ but she can’t.”

Nyma snorted.  “Why not?  ‘Cause you won’t let her?”

Working his jaw, Rax put his hands on his hips.  “Because she does not have a ship.  She does not know how to fly, or how to live on other planets, or money to spend on them.  She has no way to go, and you only taunt her!  Leave her be until you  _ leave. _ ”

If Nyma had learned all this through some other method, she might have considered it.  But Rax was a  _ pest, _ and Nyma didn’t like anyone who told someone else how to live in principle.  Family wasn’t exempt from that. Especially family, actually.  “She can do what she wants.  Including leave.  Shay will figure out a way if she really wants to.”

“It is not so simple, you know that to be true.” Rax snapped.  “This is your only warning.”

“Ooh, what happens when I break it?  Do I get more one-on-one time with you?”  Nyma fluttered her eyes, then grinned with too many teeth when Rax reared back in confused shock.  “Seriously, what are you gunna do to me?  Yell more?  Fight me?”

Rax shook his head and growled.  “Why are all you outsiders so  _ awful?” _ He snapped, then turned and stormed out.  The rock wall slammed back into place behind him, which was just rude.  Nyma couldn’t open it again after him.  Jerk.

Still, now that his presence was gone, Nyma could acknowledge that it wasn’t an easy situation.  Maybe she needed to do more than put dreams in Shay’s head, especially when she wasn’t in a position to do anything about them.

Something to think on.

***

Sitting up on the surface again, Nyma took long, deep breaths.  “Thank you for coming with me.”  Now that she was walking about, there was no need for Shay to tag along, but Nyma prefered it.  And not just because it meant shortcuts.

“I also like it here,” Shay replied, her head tilted up to the dark, inky night.  Stars spread over the sky like spilled, blowing grains of sand.  It reminded Nyma, absurdly, of stargazing when she was young.  Her industrial planet had so many lights she could never see more than a handful until very, very late.

She’d desperately wanted to leave too.  And Nyma had managed on her own, but she’d also had the benefit of ships regularly coming and going, and finding someone who didn’t mind someone so young offering help.

Shay didn’t have that.

But she did have one other option.

“You know,” Nyma murmured, watching Shay rather than the skies.  “There’s always a lot to do, in our jobs.  And neither Rolo and I are particularly muscley.  Spindly, the both of us.  And Beezer’s no help, the little glitch.  I was thinking we could use a fourth member.”

At first, Shay just nodded thoughtfully.  Then her eyes widened, and her mouth fell open.  “Are you... are you asking me?”

“Well, it’s you or your Grandma.  She’d be fury in a fight.  But she’s pretty comfy here, so...”

Shay continued to stare, not even blinking at the joke.  “You wish for me to come with you to the sky?”

“Yup,” Nyma replied, and it was bad how charming that phrasing was.  Damn cute alien girls anyway, especially the bright-eyed idealist kind.  “I am.  If you think you want to.”

That made Shay pause, and then she looked down at her clawed feet, digging them into the dirt of the Balmera.  “It would be amazing.  But the timing may not be good.  There is... you will be well soon, and I have responsibilities and my family.”

Nyma understood that now.  She hadn’t when she’d run away.

“Well, the offer’s there,” Nyma replied, and tried to keep her voice light, like it didn’t matter.  “You’d be useful, and Beeker likes you well enough.  He’s a picky little canister too, don’t let Rolo tell you differently.”

Shay shook her head.  “No, Rolo said much the same thing.”  And before Nyma could question that Shay had been speaking to  _ Rolo _ , Mother of All knew why, she continued.  “I will need to think.  It is not a decision I can make lightly.”

“Your call,” Nyma replied, far more easily than she felt.  “You have to do what you need to.”

Nodding, Shay stood.  “I need to go.  Will you be able to get down by yourself?”

“I’ll manage.”

“Then I wish you a good sleep,” Shay told her, and then practically scrambled down the ramps.

Ah, well.  That hadn’t gone how Nyma had wanted it.  But that was life, and their luck was awful.  Nothing helping it.

***

“Get on, rustbucket,” Nyma muttered to Beeker.  “No, no one else is going to- stop!”  Beeker tried to roll back out of the repaired ship, and she shoved him hard to keep him from falling out.  “No one wants to rub your joints when you’re being a brat.”

Beeker beeped sadly but started to move forward, and Nyma sighed.  That was everything they could salvage from the original ship.  This one was... well, a piece of junk was putting it lightly, but it would get them to a port, and that was what mattered.  One more day.

They were leaving.

Nyma had never been  _ sad _ about that.  Not like this.

Damn cute alien girls.

Especially ones that didn’t show up, but who had scowling brothers who lurked in the back of the crowd.

“You were not a good patient,” Shay’s grandmother told Nyma fondly, patting the top of her head.  “But you have been good to our Shay.  For that we thank you.”

Nyma glanced at Rax.  “I just reflect what’s given to me,” she replied, just a touch pointed.

His scowl deepened.

Heh.

It would have been more fun if Shay was here to see them off, but Nyma understood why not.  It would be awkward and hard, and Nyma was a fan of avoiding either of those things, so she didn’t resent it when someone else did the same.

Mostly.  It stung a little.

What was worse was that  _ Rolo _ was nowhere to be found.  Nyma had packed the entire ship by herself.  Lazy purple jerk.  She was still  _ healing. _

Oh, speaking of.  There he was.

With Shay.  Huh.  Maybe she didn’t skip out, maybe they were just running late.

Trotting past Rolo, Shay dodged through her family to stand in front of Nyma.

Then she started to hop up and down.

“Um, is this a goodbye thing?” Nyma managed, watching her move.  “‘Cause it’s cute but I’m a little lost.”

Shay paused, then actually pouted. “You said I needed to jump.  So I am jumping.”

It took a moment, and then Nyma recalled their first quiet conversation at sunset.

Oh, Mother of All, this girl was  _ so cute. _  Nyma was gunna die.

“You- oh.  Oh!  You changed your mind?”

Shay nodded, beaming.  “Yes.  If that is still okay.  Rolo said it was.”

“It’s great,” Nyma replied, half-stumbling over herself to reassure Shay.  Where the hell had her cool gone?  “It’s fantastic.  I want you.  To.  We want you to.”

Laughing, Rolo gestured to the open hatch.  “Well, while you’re jumping, hop aboard.”

Nyma rolled her eyes.  “That was awful.”

But Shay giggled, her huge hand covering half her face as she hid her smile.  “I thought it was a smart phrase.”  She held out her hands, and Rolo obediently handed over a bag that must have been hers.  Then Shay turned and started to hug her family.  It was clear they already knew - and now Rax’s dark scowling made sense.

Nyma resisted the urge to smirk at him again.  She’d already won, no need to rub it in.

Once she’d said goodbye, Shay turned back to them, still beaming nearly helplessly.  “Let us go to the sky.”

As she stepped into the ship, Shay took Nyma’s hand, holding it tightly.

Nyma beamed back, just as helpless.

It would be a change.  It would be a lot of changes, starting with the fact that they were probably going to take a lot less stealing jobs and a lot more trade jobs.  But with muscle that’d be easier, and it was worth it to keep Shay from being upset.

So Nyma squeezed Shay’s big hand back, then tugged her into a soft kiss.

They both grinned for a long moment.

“Hey.  Hate to interrupt.  I know you’re having a moment.  Thrilled for you, actually.  I wish it had happened a week ago.  But I need my co-pilot.”

Duty called.


End file.
